Dual AARs are often alot of fun; I've done a couple, and they get tons of hits and comments. Unfortunately, I don't feel I have the time to really devote to a really involved AAR; but I thought I would at least provide some overall summaries, and provide the view from the other side of Greyjoys. I'm not allowed in there, but everyone else is, before the shooting even started he was up to like 5 pages....pretty amazing!

Anyhow, I just sent the Dec 8th Allied turn, and here are my overall initial moves:

Strategic: No offensive plans yet obviously. I am preparing Day 1 for the two biggest Japanese moves: Australia and India. And of the two, I think India is much more doable, and more vulnerable for the Allies.

So, I'm planning to put alot of extra stuff into India as soon as possible. The 18th UK and the 2 Aussie Divisions, when I get them, will go there. I am already sending 3 fighter and 2 Bomber groups to Capetown; they should be in India by the end of January, and provide some buttressing of the RAF. I am also moving the US Marines to Australia as quick as possible, and I may continue them on to India as well.

But overall, I am most worried about India, and focusing deep defenses there

Pearl Harbor: PH raid wasn't bad from my perspective; ARIZONA sank, and CALIFORNIA is 80/20 to sink next turn (62 sys, 92 float, and still burning...I think she goes down). No other BBs are at risk. A single torp hit blew up PHEONIX, though; that one hurt, the cruisers are better than BBs early-on.

Initial Landings: The Japanese landed on Luzon, Malaya, and Miri, nothing out of the ordinary. A couple things though are interesting:

1. There is a CV TF south of Saigon, with other TFs. This is some sort of major move, IMO. It might be to cover Kuching, but why use the CVs for that? And why not hit Kuching on the 9th? I think it's a move on Kuantan or Mersing, probably Mersing.

Mersing would be really risky unless one of the KB CVs is there. I'll see if I can get a read on what's there, but Air Search reports 2 CVs, not one, and RYUJO would be the only other one that could get there.

2. The Legaspi Fast TF is nowhere near Palau; it must be rocketing somewhere else. Where? I guess I'll find out.

3. A minimum of Japanese warships are blockading Luzon; just a few south of Puerto Princesa.

CV Moves:

LEXINGTON group is loitering north of Wake; we are going to jump any attempt at landing, and we also flew the Vindicators to Wake (more on that later). If KB comes toward Wake, though, we are going to flee north; I want no part of that!

ENTERPRISE group is heading directly for Australia, and thence to the SRA

SARATOGA is heading to Pearl, and we'll find something for her to do once she gets there.

SRA:

OK, that huge group of ships south of Saigon is up to something. I can't do anything about a move on Kuching, so we're making preps for a move on Mersing. I can't really stop a determined move on Mersing, but I hope to at least make it expensive.

We are laying mines there, and moving the Dutch PTs up there (not sure I can make it in time). The Aussies are marching there. Everyone else in Malaya is boarding trains for Singapore, save for leave-behind Bns to prevent para drops.

We are pulling the RN cruisers and all the Dutch warshpis we can to Singapore, and Force Z is hanging out to the south. Of course, we are also pulling Torp Bombers together in Singers, and hope to make use of them.

Additionally, the Marine Vindicators on Wake will be staging ASAP to the SRA, via Guam or Rabaul, and should be on-scene in 5 days. Not sure if that's soon enough, but we should be able to surprise somebody at some point.

We bought out a P-40 Sqadron on Luzon, and are going to stage them to Sinagpore. 2 AVG units are also headed that way.

If I am wrong, I can still use all the airplanes I have gathered to defend Palembang. If I am right, a huge bloodbath will likely happen around Mersing. Most of the blook will be mine, unfortunately, but I can't let him land there without a fight!

Other Moves:

I beleive in moving units around to surprise the Japanese, and confound the beginning set-up intel. LARK BN is moving from Rabaul to Horn Island, which I hope to make a nasty Atoll. I am moving GULL and SPARROW, with an RN BASE FORCE, to the Cocos Islands. Hopefully that will be a nasty surprise in February. That's about all I can pull off at the moment, but more to follow.

BOISE and HOUSTON are moving east into the Phillipine Sea. I am sending a large AK to meet them, to top off fuel. The Phillipine Sea is an air-search gap for Japan, and I hope to interdict something like the 16th Division Convoy heading to Luzon. I hope to hide there, and spring a surprise somewhere.

Flak losses are adjusted in DaBabes. If CAP takes off too and is more or most likely less lucky the losses taken together tho primarily from upped Flak losses its questionble if its worth it in lost ubah KB pilot lifes. Each to his own opinion ofc.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

This should be a real hair ball.

The AAR or the inside of ur new HP the next time ur lab makes it into the computer fan?

Curious how Lexington and Enterprise fare with their deployments. Being new I would have assumed Kido Butai to retire to the home islands after the Pearl Harbor strike leaving the "Lex" at extreme risk. The early 1942 experience (mine) in the DEI was no air superiority except over several friendly fields of my choice. How can the "Big E" operate effectively there? Keep us abreast. AFB

Quick update: There is definitely a KB CV in the South China Sea, covering several TFs moving toward Kuching or Mersing. I'll know tomorrow which one, but I suspect Mersing.

Val DBs from Patani sank a couple ships off Georgetown; the only way that 20+ DBs could be down there on the 9th is if they were flown from a CV. He probably flew Zeros back on the CV to boost CAP to cover these landings, so they'll be alot of Zeros.

If it's Mersing, he can land on the 11th. I can't really stop that landing, but we can at least make it expensive.

We'll find out which CV, but KAGA would make the most sense, since KB would gain speed if she was detached.

A TF is approaching Kaveing, but I have a surprise for that TF tomorrow.......

Quick update: There is definitely a KB CV in the South China Sea, covering several TFs moving toward Kuching or Mersing. I'll know tomorrow which one, but I suspect Mersing.

Val DBs from Patani sank a couple ships off Georgetown; the only way that 20+ DBs could be down there on the 9th is if they were flown from a CV. He probably flew Zeros back on the CV to boost CAP to cover these landings, so they'll be alot of Zeros.

If it's Mersing, he can land on the 11th. I can't really stop that landing, but we can at least make it expensive.

We'll find out which CV, but KAGA would make the most sense, since KB would gain speed if she was detached.

A TF is approaching Kaveing, but I have a surprise for that TF tomorrow.......

Reasonable assumptions but there is another one you should not overlook. That KB CV could just as easily be shepherding an invasion fleet to Palembang. I don't read GreyJoy's AAR but based on comments elsewhere, I believe he would be very concerned to preempt an Allied attempt to reinforce Palembang.

One thing about GreyJoy's play style to bear in mind. He is particularly fond of his airforce assets. He will pay more attention to his airforce than to his navy or army.

It's a good idea to load-up Sinagpore regardless of target, but I do it mostly to forestall an early move on Palembang. I planned to bring alot of fighters to Singers, and concentrate Torp Bombers. I always post the Australians at Mersing.

The Screenshot below is from DEC 10; at this point, I expected a move toward Mersing. You can see the concentration of Airpower, and pretty much all the ships I could pull together at this stage, and all the local Dutch subs.

DEC 11, though, found the TFs 1 hex off Singkawang. I think the target now is Palembang, but maybe he'll land something at Singkawang; it would make sense, and it takes very little to knock that base over.

Attacks from Singkawang bombed KAGA; they missed, but confirmed the presence of that CV. We also identified fighters from RYUJO, as well as the Yamada Zeros, so that looks like the TFs.

I don't think I want to take on the Kongos with Force Z at this point. He knows I have alot of torp bombers at Singers, as many sortied and toasted 2 IJN DDs that had tangled with some ships south of Singers (sinking 6 of my TKs, as well as 2 USN DDs). He knows I have P-40s at Singers, and extra Swordfish.

If he puts an air HQ at Singkawang, that's going to shut down alot of ocean for me, but I can't stop him from doing that

SRA Elsewhere:

Many of my ships are escaping Manila; I purposely ran useless AKLs out first, and the DDs posted outside the harbor emptied their magazines on these useless targets, allowing all the better ships (APs,AS,AOs,etc) to slip by.

BOISE and HOUSTON linger in the Phillipine Sea. CV Planes sank their AK "tender", so it looks like it's getting a little hot. BBs also sank a TK. So, he's on to me in the Phillipine Sea. Both ships are heading south toward a bunch of ships off Mindanao, hoping we can get a transport TF in the open.

Pacific Moves:

To my surprise, Japanese troops landed at Adak and Amchitka; that's pretty slick taking those right away. Can't do much about that....

LEXINGTON is moving north from Wake. KB is heading that way, and though I see an invasion TF coming, I can't stop if if KB is coming. Oh well....

However, at Rabaul, the Marine Vindicators toasted some transports unloading at Kaveing, and I think killed a land unit on 2 transports.

ENTERPRISE is going to transit the Torres Strait and head to the SRA. By then it may be not usable there, but we'll see.

2nd Marines are loading on Transports for Australia, and will move from there to India if I can.

SRA STRATEGY: Bringing KAGA down was an interesting move, and I hope indicative that Greyjoy is going to spring some surprises.

I think a move on Mersing or Palembang is risky even with the extra CV, unless Sinagpore is supressed. The Japanese really have two problems; the Torpedo Bombers, and Force Z. To get the Torp Bombers, you really need to bomb Sinagpore to remove that base, and maybe put a "bait" TF in range with CAP over it. Force Z, you need to use the KONGOS to escort whatever you are doing.

I have moved an RAF HQ from Singers to Palembang, so I have 2 Torp-Capable bases around there, but if he starts bombing Singers that will be a problem for us

Bombing Singapore also prevents fort construction. You really need to start bombing it right away, and not let-up.

The group of TFs I thought were heading to Mersing are holding north of Singkawang; they landed 3 Nav Gds at Singkawang, which is more than enough to take the base (1 would have been enough). This will give him an airbase in the area.

MARBLEHEAD and friends jumped a convoy off Jolo and annihilated it; it was small, but looks like it was landing a unit on Jolo. It's gone. Another small convoy landed a unit at Zamboanga; they unloaded, then BOISE sank them. Only problem with this is that these ships are now out of ammo, and have to head to Soerbaya to re-stock.

Phillipines: BOISE and HOUSTON each ran into TFs, and multiple actions broke out.

BOISE sank HATSUHARU, plus some transports, but is out of ammo and retiring to Soerbaya. HOUSTON sank some transports, but clashed with DDs and ended up fleeing when the magazines were empty. MARBLEHEAD and 4 DDs sank the CL KASHII off Jolo; GJ says he was trying to pick-off fleeing transports.

Speaking of which, we saved almost all the ships we wanted to in the PI, including all large APs, all the various tenders. The 2 AOs are loading fuel at Balikpapan. We even loaded the 1st Port Maint Bn at Cebu, and I'm moving that engineering unit to Horn Island (this unit starts non-restricted)

Otherwise, there are several landings happening on Mindanao. Troops are landing at Legaspi. He doesn't seem to be in a huge hurry in the PI.

I had hoped to ambush ZUIHO near Cagayan; I based the VINDICATORS there, with 40 P-40s as escort. Unfortunately, GJ had set a large cruiser TF to bombard Cagayan, and they wasted the airbase. The surviving DBs withdrew to Soerbaya, but I need some time to rebuild this unit. Drat!

One note: I am forming 2-ship AKL TFs in Soerbaya, and sending them to Manila with supplies. I won't do 1-ship TFs (messes with AI), but we will do 2. We'll see if GJ has airsearch active. So far, I have already unloaded both large AKs that start with supplies in the PI, plus an AKL that loaded at Hong Kong.

Singers Area: The Japanese CVs withdrew, probably to re-load the torps. Not sure what happened to all the transports. That sequence was odd, I wonder if GJ changed his target.

Singkawang is active now, so once that base becomes Bettified, it will limit what I can accomplish up there.

Still no bombing on Singapore. I have a pile of planes there still.

I am moving a few extra Dutch units to Palembang, but we are stopping at 3 extra Bns. We should get up to 100-ish AV there, but I am not going to send any Brits, other than the RAF HQ that is providing Torpedo support for the base.

Cocos Islands: I am making a fortress, though, on the Cocos Islands. 44th Ind Bde, Gull and Sparrow Bns, and 2 Base forces are headed there to fortify the place. I hope they have 60 days before Gj gets there; if they are rested and dug-in, that will be a real expedition to take out.

Horn Island: I'm also fortifying Horn Island. LARK BN is going here from Rabaul, plus some commandos, and a couple base forces. When I get more Aussies, I will reinforce.

Imperial Conquests:

Wake Island fell to first assault; GJ used BBs and KB to soften up the place, and landed in force.

Hong Kong is down to 0 forts, and will fall on the next attack

Zamboanga fell, and he occupied Kaveing and Hollandia

CVs: LEXINGTON is going to raid supply lines around Chichi-Jima, near Japan. NEOSHO has left Pearl to provide support for them, and after raiding, they will retire north toward the Aleutians.

ENTERPRISE is near Efate, and steaming west toward the SRA, with several cruisers.

One note: I am forming 2-ship AKL TFs in Soerbaya, and sending them to Manila with supplies. I won't do 1-ship TFs (messes with AI), but we will do 2. We'll see if GJ has airsearch active. So far, I have already unloaded both large AKs that start with supplies in the PI, plus an AKL that loaded at Hong Kong.

Great move this! Most Japanese players are content to isolate US forces in the PI and wait until their supplies are exhausted until finally taking them out. Every little bit of supply will help throw his time table out of whack. Unless he is paying close attention the AK's could get lost in the fleeing herd and he won't even notice them.

One note: I am forming 2-ship AKL TFs in Soerbaya, and sending them to Manila with supplies. I won't do 1-ship TFs (messes with AI), but we will do 2. We'll see if GJ has airsearch active. So far, I have already unloaded both large AKs that start with supplies in the PI, plus an AKL that loaded at Hong Kong.

Great move this! Most Japanese players are content to isolate US forces in the PI and wait until their supplies are exhausted until finally taking them out. Every little bit of supply will help throw his time table out of whack. Unless he is paying close attention the AK's could get lost in the fleeing herd and he won't even notice them.

I'm sure that you've seen Castor Troy's and ADM Spurance current AARs where because of this tactic, Luzon held until 1943(ADM Spurance) and is predicted to last fairly long(Castor Troy), and effectively eliminated the Japanese phase II in addition to starting the allied offensive early. The only issue that I see is that because of your raiders, Greyjoy's going to put air search and bombers/major fleet in the region as fast as he can, so you'll need to move fast with the supplies. I'd start getting supplies ready from Pearl personally.

If your opponent isn't sweeping Manila/Clark you can do air-drops with PBY/4e from Davao/Borneo also...

He is sweeping the bases; no dice there

An alert Japanese player should close off any airsearch gaps from Pearl; even without Marcus, between Pagan, Chichi-Jima and the Home Islands you can spot anything moving through that area. As IJN, I also station an AV between Marcus and the Home Islands to watch that gap.

But it's tougher to watch the corridor from Soerbaya. We'll see if he puts airsearch up with the new bases he took in Mindinao. I suspect he'll catch on, and shut it down.

It's only AKLs though, so there's no risk in trying. It should be Standard Operating Procedure for Allied players to try it, and SOP for Japanese players to keep airsearch over the PI to prevent such an attempt.

No, not really. These places are doomed, and I hate to waste units there. I did make a baby-fortress Palembang, but only with Dutch troops; I flew in the Riouw Bn, and the Mariner Bn, and marched in the Zuid Bn. I also dropped an RAF HQ there for torps. That's it. I'm not sending British combat troops there. The AV is up to 110, but the troop quality is pretty poor.

The only "fortresses" for now are Cocos and Horn; and those aren't really fortresses, but heavy garrisons.

12/16/41 through 12/19/41

The last couple days I think have been frustrating for GJ. He had a tough sweep over Singapore, where I have 2 AVG units and a Squadron of P-40s. We have dished out more than we have taken, though the pool of replacements isn't deep, so if he keeps this up we'll eventually lose it. Singapore is the first priority to defend.

We also shot down a whole bunch of Oscars and Sallys over Manila. I think he thought we had gone away, but I was stashing the fighters at Cagayan to wait for an opening.

In both instances, I layered CAP at 10K and 20K; this seems to work very well.

Naval Commitments: Otherwise, I am pulling togehter more ships in the SRA. EXETER, GLASGOW, have joined the cruisers at Singapore, and CANBERRA/PERTH are moving to Soerbaya to join HOUSTON and BOISE. I have quite a few cruisers now in the area.

ENTERPRISE is approaching the Torres Strait, and will move to Soerbaya.

PI:

I think GJ is on to my little supply runs though; he toasted two AKLs outside Manila, and the cordon is pretty tight. Plan B is to unload at Lucena; I have a couple ships approaching there to unload on the 21st. So far though he is keeping it shut with surface ships instead of LBA.

Overall:

GJ's initial move with Kaga was really good; I like that move, and will steal that for my next game as Japan. Since then, I think he's stalled a bit; the landings on Mindanao didn't seem to include a base force unit, and Singkawang isn't torp capable. Probably that won't last long.

Guam

As Japan, I always have bypassed Guam early, figuring I could take it later at my leisure. Now I know why you need to take it quickly.

I stationed a Catalina unit there, and TRUK is easily in range; this gives me a great view of the comings and goings, including KB, which I know is refueling there at the moment. Great intel!